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CEI – a resource for South Carolina
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| The Clemson Environmental
Institute will facilitate practical solutions to environmental
issues by coordinating efforts at the University, while
forming alliances with public and private partners. |
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Clemson’s
Environmental Engineering and Science Department, ranked
14th in the nation (see sidebar), is just one of the environmental
programs receiving attention. Clemson University recently
constituted the Clemson Environmental Institute (CEI) to
promote its many and varied strengths in this area. CEI,
co-directed by Alan Elzerman, director of the School of the
Environment, and John Rodgers, professor of environmental
toxicology, is a campuswide research institute. The mission
of the Institute is to coordinate and facilitate an efficient
response to government and industrial needs in terms of environmental
issues through coordinated efforts at Clemson and public
and private partnerships.
“Clemson
has a lot of strength in environmental areas, across a number
of departments.” observes Elzerman. “ The Institute
helps us market those strengths, both to people working in
the university and to potential partners in business and
industry.”
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The L. G. Rich Environmental
Laboratory, a 38,000 square foot research facility in
Clemson’s Research Park is home to the newly-formed
Clemson Environmental Institute. |
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One
objective in establishing the CEI is to provide a recognized
and well-known central contact point for people inside and
outside the university. The institute is partnering with
a number of regional and national entities to deal with a
variety of environmental and sustainability issues and concerns:
the impact of development on Lake Keowee, radionuclides in
local lakes and drinking water, air pollution in the Greenville
area, Savannah River Site legacy issues, and using wetlands
as treatment systems.
“The
Institute allows us to better utilize the strengths and resources
of Clemson and our partners,” states Elzerman. “There
is a synergy that arises from collaboration. We want to nurture
that. I see a real leadership role for Clemson in South Carolina
and the region in environmental and sustainability areas.”
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